173 thousand deaths in 2025

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© Hollandse Hoogte / ANP
  • The mortality rate in 2025 was higher than in 2024, but the increase was less pronounced than the previous year.
  • There were more deaths among women than among men.
  • Life expectancy at birth increased slightly for both men and women.

A total of 173.0 thousand people died in the Netherlands in 2025. That was 1.2 thousand more than in 2024, but the increase was less pronounced than it was in 2024. The death rate among women was slightly higher than among men. Life expectancy at birth increased slightly for both men and women, by approximately two months. Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports this on the basis of provisional annual figures.

The annual number of deaths is increasing due to the Netherlands’ growing and ageing population. The death rate rose sharply at the start of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. After two years of relative stability, the number of deaths increased again in 2024.

More deaths among women than among men

A total of 87.6 thousand women and 85.8 thousand men died in 2025. Annual mortality has been higher among women than men since 1997. This is because women live longer, on average, which means that there are more older women in the population, and therefore more women die. Only in 2021, during the coronavirus pandemic, did more men die than women.

Lower mortality rate among people under the age of 65

In 2025, 12 percent of deaths occurred among those aged under 65. There were around 600 fewer deaths in this age group than in 2024. The decline was most pronounced among women below the age of 65 (-5 percent), while it was lower among men (-1 percent).

In 2025, 57 percent of deaths occurred among those aged 80 and over. There were 1.4 thousand more deaths in this age group than in 2024. The increase was smaller among people aged between 65 and 80 (+400).

Life expectancy has increased by two months

Life expectancy at birth was 80.7 years for men and 83.5 years for women in 2025. For both men and women, that was an increase in life expectancy of two months compared to 2024.

After a slight drop during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 and 2021, life expectancy has been on the rise again since 2022. Since 2024, life expectancy for men has been higher than it was in 2019, while for women, it remains one month lower.

Sources

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